A charity shop that helps tackle domestic abuse in Swindon has celebrated its fifth anniversary in the town centre.
Survivor charity shop, located next to H&M on The Parade, first opened to the public in July 2019.
Over the past five years, the shop has not only built a reputation for selling affordable and good-quality items but has also raised over £1,000 every week on average for Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service (SDASS).
The money raised goes directly to supporting survivors of domestic abuse with refuge accommodation and advisors.
But this five-year anniversary is particularly special, as the shop has risked closure multiple times in the past due to a shortage of volunteers.
On July 12, 2024, shop volunteers were joined by the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sarah Troughton, to help mark their huge achievement in Swindon.
Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire Sarah Troughton, shop manager Camilla Glass and SDASS Chair Nicky Alberry celebrate with a young supporter (Image: SDASS)
“The Survivor@SWA shop is a critical part of our fundraising," said Nicky Aldberry, Chair of SDASS.
"It also provides a much-needed resource in that it’s another way for people who may be experiencing domestic abuse to find out how they can be helped and seek a way to escape.
“The shop acts as a place where the adult and child victims of domestic abuse who have fled to our refuge - often with little more than the clothes on their backs - can go and choose the goods they need to start their new lives.
"We pride ourselves in the fact that our goods are of excellent quality. No one should be embarrassed about shopping in a charity shop – actually quite the opposite.”
The Survivor shop in Swindon town centre has changed the lives of abuse victims (Image: Newsquest)
Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service is a free and confidential 24-hour service, operating in Swindon and the surrounding areas.
Originally founded in 1974 as Swindon Women’s Aid, SDASS operates a purpose-built secure refuge with 22 individual flats which can accommodate lone females or mothers with dependent children and has a dedicated team of trained staff.
In the community, SDASS has a network of independent domestic violence advisors (IDVA) who work with victims not staying in the Refuge, and have advisors within the Great Western Hospital, Doctor Surgeries and Health Centres across the town.
The service's dedicated helpline - 01793 610610 - is available 24 hours a day and the charity shop in The Parade is open six days a week.
Staff at Survivor, who are almost all volunteers, say they hope to raise even more money in the next five years.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here